Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal speaks to the media at the Statehouse, Wednesday, March 5, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

(Newser)
–
If you want to pack heat at your local bar, church, school or government building, then Georgia is now the state for you. Gov. Nathan Deal today signed a law allowing firearms in all of those places and more, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The law allows schools and churches to "opt-in" to allowing guns, while bars will now have to "opt-out" to ban them. It also expands the state's "stand your ground" rule—according to a recent state analysis, felons will now be able to use it.

"People who follow the rules can protect themselves and their families from people who don't," Deal said. Critics have derisively labeled it the "guns everywhere bill," according to NBC News, and Gabby Giffords' gun control organization has called it "the most extreme gun bill in America." But as he signed the law, Deal reminded people that "some of the more [pause] interesting parts were removed," to appease critics. Originally, the law allowed guns on college campuses, and forced churches to opt-out to ban them.

Georgia's legislators forbade guns in a very few places. One of them is in the capitol building, ... where THEY work. Why? If guns are a good thing in churches and bars and classrooms, why not in the capitol building?

Lou Bernardo

Apr 27, 2014 10:50 PM CDT

You mean there can be legal guns everywhere, and not just in the hands of criminals, street gang, theives, druggies, and car jackers? In a liberal's distorted mind it just doesn't seem fair. Criminals will no longer have the upper hand persuing a life of crime.

Nofun

Apr 25, 2014 8:52 PM CDT

BE a man . Get drunk. Wave your gun around. Impress your redneck friends. A gun at home might be OK but to carry one all the time is a dangerous addiction. It becomes a crutch for your personality and makes you think you are tougher than you really are...potentially encouraging you to insert yourself into dangerous situations that you would ordinarily avoid (See pig racist zimmerman). When a gun determines whether you go outside or not you are no longer a free a human being. Like drugs you are an addict. Take the drug away and the addict curls up into a little ball sucking his thumb.